Game



. Oct. 15, 1946. s. s. cox EI'AL 2,409,547;

. GAME Filed larch 20, 1944 5 Shouts-Shot 1 I w fl M 10,41 I ||||1|||| kv wm. m w w a ww V 1.. M M w m wmV a L a M. 1W y s Q 6. 9 Tm ..K ma. 0 0O O T J mm 0 009 M C. 0 o do? EH O 0 w FT, 9 5A1]. F Q 4 Z Z G 0 O 0 maE /04 O 0, 5 3 Z 7 5 Q. 0 O. o i a? d d m i z 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 15,1946. s. s. cox E-TAI;

GAME

Filed March 20, 1944 Oct. 15, 1946.

G. s. cox ETAL 2,409,547

GAME

Filed March 20, 1944 5 Sheets-Sht 5 OOOOOOOOOG OOOOQOQOOO -OO0O0OOOOO"Z4 Z6 28 30 32 34 Z3 Z5 Z7 Z9 3/ 53 35 I N V EN TORS 650/2 5 $7 C'ax.

BY f/v/L 154N054 Patented Oct. 15, 1946 GAME George S. Cox and Emil J.Sande], St. Louis, Mo.; said Sande] assignor to said Cox ApplicationMarch 20, 1944, Serial No. 527,293

3 Claims.

This invention relates to games and has special reference to a ballrolling game employing but a single ball with which to play any ofseveral types of games for which score can be kept as the gameprogresses, such, for instance in base-ball, foot ball, and similarscore recorded games.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ball rolling type ofgame, wherein the single ball used in playing the game is to beprojected by a ball projector up an inclined path to and upon aninclined playing surface of a ball rolling panel, the ball firstentering an initial ball rolling zone at the elevated end of the playingsurface of the inclined ball rolling panel, then entering a ballshifting zone where the ball seeks an interrupted circuitous path, andfinally enters a scoring zone from where the ball is discharged to areturn passage below the scoring zone for return to an initial startingposition adjacent the ball projector.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball rolling game,employing but a single playing ball and which game can be played by anynumber of persons playing in rotation, and, wherein each person playingthe game may be entitled to a selected number of shots or play beforethe next person plays.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of meanswherein impact with the ball for projecting the same to and upon theplaying surface of the ball rolling panel can be positively selected bythe player.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means forsetting a trigger of the ball projector at a selected position to effectthe desired impact so that when the trigger is released the ball will beprojected at a speed uncontrolled by the player otherthan a positivesetting of the trigger.

A further object of the invention resides in the feature that after theposition of the trigger of the projector has been selected and set, theball will not be projected until the trigger has been released by theplayer, and, if the player has set the trigger in any position otherthan the last of the selectable positions which effects the great est ofimpact strength, the player can, if he chooses, reset the position ofthe trigger for greater impact strength of the projector without fear ofprojecting the ball before resetting of the trigger has been perfected.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of meanswhereby When the ball is discharged from the playing surface, the scoremade can be visibly recognized at the discharge opening for the ball inthe score zone.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision ofmeans for automatically closing the ball discharge opening in theplaying surface 1 of the score zone prior to projectingthe ball andduring the setting of the ball projector trigger at a selected position.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a game thatis of interest to children, as well as adults, which is simple inoperation, comparatively inexpensive in cost of manufacture, and a gameboard on which more than one class of game can be played by merelyselecting the class of game to be played and score thereof to beindividually recorded as the game progresses.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention and the meansfor their attainment will be more fully apparent hereinafter from thedetailed description of the invention in the following specification andfinally defined in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thespecification and illustrating one embodiment by which the invention maybe realized, and, in which drawings like characters of reference denotesimilar parts throughout the severalviews:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a ball rolling game embodying the featuresof our present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan fragmentary view of the lower half of the righthand portion of the game apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 2, taken on line3--3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of fragmentary view of the upper half of theright hand portion of the game apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 4, taken on line 55thereof.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 2, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig'. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 2, taken on line1-4 thereof.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the panel or board of the ball rolling gamewith parts thereof removed.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the score indicators.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional elevation of the game apparatus takenon line Ill-40 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, we employ a tray-like member designated,generally, as I, having the bottom 2, the side walls 3 and 4, and theupper and lower end walls 5 and 6, respectively.

A suitable panel, or plate l having its upper surface serving as aplaying surface is suitably mounted, or supported within the tray-likemember l a suitable distance below the upper edge of the tray-likemember. The panel, or plate 1 is supported in a suitable inclinedposition, as will be apparent from Figures 2 and 5.

The playing surface of the panel, or board 1 is divided by imaginarylines transversely thereof into an initial ball rolling zone 8, a ballshifting lower portion of the playing surface of the board,

1', while zone 9 occupies the remaining, or intermediate portion of theplaying surface of the board I.

As shown, a portion of the right hand side of the panel, or board 1 hasa narrow section thereof cutaway to provide a right angular edge for theboard, the edge portions being designated H and 52, so as to provide agap or open space between the cutaway edge portion of the board I andthe side wall 4 of the tray-like member I, the purpose of which will bedescribed more fully hereinafter.

A suitably curved playing ball guide rail member i3 is disposed at theupper end portion of the board I and projects upwardly from the playingsurface of the board and forms a wall bounding the upper margin of theball rolling zone 8. The guide member i3 extends from adjacent thecutaway edge portion l2 of the board- '5 and the side wall 4 of thetray-like member I to the opposite side wall 3 of the tray member I andthe end of the ball guide member i3 adjacent the side wall 3 is suitablycurved, as at I4, terminating in a straight leg portion [5 extending asuitable distance in the direction of the side wall 4 of the tray member1.

A suitable ball guide plate 16 extends a suitable distance above theplaying surface of the board 1 and is secured to the cutaway edgeportion H of the board 7. This plate also extends below the board I andrests on the bottom 2 of the traylike member I. A suitably curved arm I!projects from one end of the guide plate It. This arm seats upon theplaying surface of the ball rolling zone 8 opposite the curved end It ofthe ball guide rail I3 to prevent a ball projected to and upon zone 8 ofthe playing field or surface from directly returning to its initialstarting point, as will be more clearly apparent hereinafter. As clearlyillustrated, the guide rail 13 and the curved arm I? extending from theguide plate l5 serve to define three sides of the initial, or startingzone B.

The ball shifting zone 9 is studded with a series of suitably staggeredball engaging members des ignated, generally, as l8. These members eachcomprise a cup shaped member l9 having a flat top 2!) to provide afeather edge 2! and the lower edge of each member is flanged outwardlyengaging the lower face of the playing board, or panel 1 after themembers 19 have been press fitted in openings 22 in the panel, orboard 1. There are several rows of the ball shifting members on theplaying surface of the board I and each row runs transversely of theboard, but staggered relative to each other in the direction as a rightangle thereto.- The ball shifting members H] are spaced at distancesapart sufficient only to allow the playing ball to retain sufficientrolling speed, as it is batted about by impact with the ball shiftingstuds.

The scoring zone If), which is below the ball shifting zone, relative tothe incline of the board I, is provided with a series of ball guidingchannels, or races, designated 23, 24, 25, 26, 21', 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,33,34 and 35. The said channels or ball races are suitably spaced apartin parallel relation and they run longitudinally of the playing surfaceof the board 1. Each ball guiding channel or race terminates at itslower end in a suitable ball discharge opening 36,

The means for indicating or visibly displaying each score as it is madeby a playing ball, at the point the ball passes through a ball dischargeopening will now be described. Said score indicating means issubstantially right-angular in form having two arms designated 31 and38. In

one embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig, 1, there are thirteenscore indicators, and they are designated generally, as A, B, C, D, E,F, G, H, I, J, K, L and M and will be hereinafter referred to as such.Each score indicator serves a dual function, that of visibly displayingthe score made by the playing ball, which ball is designated 39, and ofwhich there is only one employed in playing the herein-described game,and closing its respective ball discharge opening.

The arm 31 of each score indicator serves to cover its respective balldischarge opening 36 from the lower side thereof, while the arm 38 ofeach score indicator serves to cover its respective ball dischargeopening 36 from the top side thereof, as the playing ball is dischargedthrough the opening and simultaneous therewith visibly display the scoremade by the ball directly over the ball discharge opening. The arm 31 ofeach indicator is pivotally or hingedly supported in the side 3 of thetray-like member I and the lower portion 48 of the guide plate I6. Eachscore indicator is so balanced, due to the location of its pivotalconnection in spaced relation to arm 38, as at 4|, that each indicatorwill remain in either of its positions, unless moved in one direction bythe playing ball 39, and in the other direction by indicator settingmechanism later described.

The means for projecting the playing ball 39, and the indicator settingmechanism for closing the ball discharge openings from the bottom sidethereof after being opened by a discharged ball and displaying the scoremade over the top of the opened discharge opening on the arm 38 of thescore indicator moved by the playing ball 39, will now be described.

First, the means for projecting the playing ball 39 comprises aprojector device consisting of a suitable housing designated, generally,as 42, having aside wall 43, the front and rear end walls 44 and 45,respectively, and the top wall 45. A suitable impact member, or plunger41 is slidably mounted in aligned openings 48 formed in the end walls ofthe housing 42, and is controlled in its movement in one direction, theball impact direction, by a suitable spring 49 connected at one end tothe plunger 41 and at its other end to the end wall 45 or otherstationary part of the-device. The forward end of the plunger 41normally projects suitable distance beyond the front end wall 45 and isprovided with a suitable playing ball impact head 50. The plunger 41 isprovided with a set of suitable openings designated El, 52 and 53 and itis also provided with an upright handle 54 passing upwardly through aslotted opening 55 in the top wall 46 of the housing 42 for sliding theplunger back to starting position against the action of the spring 49.

A trigger designated, generally, as 56, is employed for both holding theplunger 41 in its selected set position and for releasing the plungerfor projecting or shooting the ball 39 to and upon the playing surfaceof the panel or board 1.

The trigger 56 comprises'a handle 51 pivotally supported against theinner face of the side wall 43 of the housing 42, and the lower endthereof is provided with an offset extension to form a dog 58, the freeend of which is designed to'seat in the selected opening in the plungerwhen setting the plunger preparatory to shooting the playing ball 39.,The handle 51 of the trigger 56 is normally tilted rearwardly and thedog 53 downwardly and rearwardly so that the dog 53 can be lifted toride on the top surface of the plunger, and, by gravity, fall intoselected plunger openings during the setting operation of the plunger4'5. The handle 51 projects upwardly through a slotted opening 59, inthe top wall 46 of the projector housing 42 so that it can be easilymoved forwardly by a push with a finger to release the plunger for ballimpact movement. As is manifest, the strength of the impact movement ofthe plunger is controlled by the tension of the spring 49, which, inturn, is controlled by the dog opening in the plunger in which the dog58 is seated. Therefore, the player can set the plunger i! in anyone ofthree positions by the dog 58. More or less plunger holes can be used,if so desired. v

In order to bring the playing ball 39 back to starting position afterleaving the playing surface through any one of the discharge openings35, there is provided suitable inclined floors 60 and 6| below the panelI, and which floor 6! leads to a side outlet opening 62 in the lowerportion 40 of the. guide wall IE5 adjacent the plunger head 56 when inadvanced position and ready to enter compartment 63 in which theprojector housing 42 is located when the plunger 4'! is retracted.

Leading upwardly in compartment 63, from a point adjacent the plungerhead when retracted, is an inclined floor or ball race 64 which mergesat its upper end, as at 65, with zone B of the playing surface of thepanel I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The means for resetting, or returning the score indicators A to M,inclusive, when moved from normal or non-score position, comprises a rod66 pivotally supported by the side wall 3 of traymember I and lowerportion 40 of the guide plate It and the side wall 4 of the tray-memberl. A pair of suitable upwardly inclined arms 61 are secured to the rod66 near the ends thereof. A suitable cross-piece 68 connects the upperends of the arms 61 and passes through an opening in portion 40 of theguide plate I6, which crosspiece is adjacent the back face of the arm 31of any score indicator that has been lowered from normal position by aball discharged from the score zone I0, and thereby displaying thescoremade on arm 38 which has then moved directly over the opened balldischarge opening 36 to cover the same. One end of arm 61 located incompartment 63 is provided with a cam arm 69 which is actuated by asliding cam secured to the rear end of the plunger l! each time theplunger Al is reset prior to projecting the ball 39 to and upon zone 8of the playing surface of the panel 1.

When playing the game, the player pulls the plunger, or ball projector41 back by means of the handle 54 until the trigger dog 58 drops intothe hole representing the position of the plunger selected by theplayer. In doing so, the playing ball 39 will follow plunger head 50 andlie in engagement or contact therewith. As previously explained, anyscore indicator arm 31 that may be in an inoperative position within itsrespective ball discharge opening open from the underside thereof willbe moved into operative position as the plunger 41 is moved into itsselected playing position. Next, the player gives the trigger handle 51a forward touch which lifts the trigger dog 58 from the selected plungeropening allowing the spring to contract and thereby suddenly moving thepiunger 41 forwardly, and thereby shooting or projecting the ball 39 upan inclined track or floor 54 to and upon zone 8 of the playing surfaceof the panel 1. Upon reaching the playing surface of zone 3, the ballfollows the curved guide rail i3 and if sufficient force has beenexerted against the ball 39, it will follow through to the far end ofthe guid rail and be directed toward the opposed curved arm ll of theguide plate It from where it will travel toward the shifting zone 9. Ifthe ball falls short of following the ,full course of the guide rail l3,it will then move or roll into the shifting zone 9.

When the ball 39 reaches the shifting zone 9, it is shifted about anuncontrolled circuitous path by coming into contact with any of thestuds in the path of travel of the ball due to the inclined position ofthe panel 1, and in leaving the shifting zone 9, the ball will finallyseek one of the score channels designated 23 to 35, inclusive, and, uponrolling to the lower end of the channel selected by the ball, it willdrop through the ball discharge opening at the lower end of the channel,and on the inclined floor 69 and then onto floor 6| below the panel Iand return to a p0si-. tion in front of the plunger head 53. As the ballfalls through any of the ball discharge openings, the weight of the ballwill move the arm 31 of the indicator, closing the opening'from thebottom thereof, and thereby causing the arm 38 bearing score data tomove downwardly in an arcuate path and close the ball discharge openingthrough which the ball passed, from the upper side thereof, and thescore data can be then visibly read on the upper surface of the arm 38.The upper surface of each indicator arm 38 bears the different scoresand as the score is displayed the player can take the score down byplacing it on a piece of paper, as each player should keep his, or herown score.

In one embodiment of the invention, each arm 38 of the indicators willbear three different types of scores, namely, first, a base-ball score;second, a foot-ball score; and, third a number score. Other score data,however, can be placed on the indicator arms, as is manifest.

In the following illustration for the sake of brevity, various gamescores, in one embodiment of the invention, are indicated on the backface of each arm 38 of the indicators, as follows:

Example Number Base ball Foot ball game Indicator A 1st down 1 IndicatorB 2d downs 2 Indicator 0-- 3d down. 3 Indicator D. 4th down 4 IndicatorEl. 1 yard 5 Indicator F N. Out at second 2 yards 6 Indicator G Out atth1rd 3 yards 7 Indicator EL. Out at plate- 4 yards 8 Indicator I... Outat home 5 yards 9 Indicator J Foul ball 6 yards 10 Indicator K Out leftfield 7 yards ll Indicator L .v Out right field. 8 yards .l 12 IndicatorM Out center field.-. Touchdown 13 In playing a base-ball game, onplayer can 7 play or have shots until he is out, then the next From theforegoing description, it willbe apparent that we have provided a gamethat Will hold theinterest of the players, which is simple to play, and,which can be played with any number of players, two or more.

From the foregoing description, it is to be understood that a simpledevice for the purpose has been disclosed, but it is to be understoodthat we do not desire to restrict, or limit ourselves to the verydetailsof the construction shown and described, which is merely illustrative,it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of inventionmay be made without conflicting or departing from the spirit of theinvention within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A ball projector for a ball rolling game of the class described,comprising, in combination with an inclined ball race leading to a ballrolling surface of a game board, of a housing adjacent the lower end ofthe inclined ball race, a plunger having a ball impact head mounted inopenings in opposed walls of the housing, a plurality of spaced openingsin said lunger, a spring for controlling the movement of said plunger inone direction, a handle for manually moving the plunger in the oppositedirection, a trigger pivotally supported by the housing, said triggerincluding a handle and a dog, and said dog adapted to engage in aselected opening in the plunger when the plunger is manually retractedto set the same, and said dog being released from engagement with theselected plunger opening by finger pressure against the trigger handleto cause the plunger to be moved in the opposite direction under theaction of said spring.

2. In a ball projecting device of the class described comprising ahousing, a ball impact memher having a plurality of openings thereinslidably mounted in openings in the end walls of the housing, a springfor controlling the ball impact movement of the impact member, anupright handle projecting from the impact member and passing through aslotted opening in the top wall of the housing for retracting the impactmember to a selected starting position against the action of the spring,a pivotally supported trigger having an ofiset extension to form a dogfor engagement in a selected impact member opening to hold the impactmember in its retracted position until the dog is released fromengagement with the selected opening by forward pressure on the handle.

3. In a game ball propelling device having, in combination, a housing, aflat plunger mounted in openings in opposed walls of the housing, saidplunger having a plurality of spaced openings, resilient means connectedat one end to the housing and at its opposite end to the plunger, amember connected at its lower end to the plunger and projecting upwardlythrough an opening in the housing for retracting the plunger against theaction of the resilient means, a trigger pivotally supported in a Wallof the housing and projecting upwardly through an opening therein, andan offset member on the inner end of the trigger adapted for engagementin a predetermined opening in the plunger to control the striking forceof the plunger imparted to the game ball when the upper end of thetrigger is moved forwardly to release the offset member from engagementwith the selected. plunger opening to free the plunger to the action ofthe resilient member.

GEO. S. COX. EMIL J. SANDEL.

